Improved hame-fastener



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. B. WOOLSEY, OF BLOOMFIELD, IOWA.

IMPROVED HAME-FASTENER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,762, dated May 1d, 1865.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. B. WOOLSEY, of Bloomfield, Davis county, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Haine-Fasteners 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descrip tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, and letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this my specification-like letters indicating like parts inthe several gures-and in which draw ings` Figures l and 2 are perspective views of my improved hamefastener; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section; Fig. 4, a plan view; and Fig. 5, a perspective View of the same part as shown in Fig. 1, but in a different position.

My inventionhas forits object the construction of a fastening for harness-haines which shall be cheap, readily adjusted, of simple construction, and not liable to get out of order, while at the same time it is efficient for the use to which it is adapted.

To this end I construct a longitudinal box, A, of metal, open at both ends and one of its sides, as shown in Fig. 1, the rear end of which terminates in hinge-shoulders b, as represented, to which the end of the hame is at tached in the ordinary manner.

Fig. 2 shows a rack, B, with like shoulders b for connection with one end of that when the hame is adjusted uponthe clog it horses collar the hanie may be securely fastened in position upon the collar by the insertion of the rack within the box A, as clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.,

To the open side of the box A, as seen in Fig. l, I apply a iiat metallic spring, c, its main portion being secured to the box by pintles d, projecting through its sides, as shown in the ligure. This spring o tapers, or is cut away from about midway of its length, to one of its extremities, so that such reduced end c I may pass through a slot or perforation, e, of the catch C of the hame-fastener, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The catch C, I construct of the form represented in Fig. 3, and secure it in position within the box A by means clearly indicated in the figuresto passing through its center and the sides of the box, and in such manner that the catch may be made to articulate within the box by wit, by a pin, f, f

pressure applied to its outer end. The tension of the spring c, being outward, tends to elevate or carry outward the exposed end of the catch C, thus throwing the inner end ot said catchdown toward the bottom of the box A, which partially incloses it. Thus the rack B, when forced beneath the catch, as indicated in Fig. 3, will cause the catch to traverse the rack and seat itself in any one of the depressions g of the rack which may be desired, and so hold the haine firmly upon the collar of the horse. Y

It will be seen that the widest portion of the spring c completely closes a part of one side of the box A, thereby preventing the entrance within the box of any extraneous matter of a large size, which might clog the free action of the hame-fastener, (from that side ot' the implement,) while at the saine time the articulating end c of the spring is free to move with the catch C through the slot e when the outer end of the catch is depressed for the purpose of withdrawing the rack B. The portion c therefore of the spring c plays freely through the slot e, and no binding action is exerted upon the spring during its required' movements.

By reference -to Figs. 3 and 5 it will also be seen that when the rack B is withdrawn the box A is open at both ends, thereby permit the hame, so ting any substance which might accidentallly to be thrust out by the mere insertion of the rack within the box.

All parts of my hame-fastener are made of suitable. metal, and in lieu of the pin f the catch may be made with pintles to project through the sides of the box, which pintles are a part of the catch itself, so that when thus constructed my entire baule-fastener will be composed of but four separate parts-to wit, the box, the rack, the spring, and the catch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by L tters Patent ofthe United States, is-

Combining the spring c with the catch C in the manner and for the purpose as described.

J. B. WOOLSEY. Witnesses:

H. H. TEIMBLE, J. B. WEAVER. 

